Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-03-08

the arrival at Portage ana IL cOutG not
be that he would take all that trouble
to throw any one off his trail. There
was no one alter him, and he could
not argue that the boy would hold
the marked folder against him. |
therefore changed my routeto Portage
city, and at the junction got track
of my man. He had no ticket, but
had paid his fare in cash It was
night, and the state of his hair had |
not been noticed, but the conductor
described Lanes general appearance.
and said that he had changed $50 |
bill for him. He might go no further
than Beaver Dam, and ! got of there
and looked around for a few hours.
No trace of him had been had and /
was at the depot to take the tram,
when a conversation between two
young men became interesting.
''You ought to have told somebody"
protested one.
Eyes, and been laughed at" replied
the other.
stAnd he had ten thousand dollars?"
Eyes. double that"
"And he was counting it on the
bed?"
ayes"
"Pll bet he was a robber.o
"May be, but he was off early IN the
morning. Well, SO long, Tom-here's
the train.
The one who had seen some one
counting money was going west by my
train, and Ischemed to get a seat with
him and draw him out. He was por-
ter at one of the hotels in Portage, and
| he had seen a guest answering Lanes
description counting such alot OF mon
| ey that it covered half the bed. The
| porter had made his observation
through the keyhole of the door, and,
| being ashamed of himself, had hest
tated to 60 to thelandlord. The man
had arrived without baggage, but had
| there purchased valise, and his nerv-
GUS manner and the sight of SO much
money in his possession had led the
porter to finally conclude that there
was mystery there somewhere, al
though he had not spoken of it to any
one around the house. The man had
purchased a suit of coarse clothes,
with hat and shoes to match, and IN
leaving had taken the highway leading
to ward Oshkosh. He had purchased
another bottle OF hair dye ia Portage,
but had apparently given his red hair
up as bad job. He not only left
the bottle in his room, but by means
of soap and water washed off what
dye he had put on at Milwaukee
Lane had given the landlord to I'M
|, derstand that he was hard working
young man who had started out to
look for a job, but he had departed
without fixing on anything definite.
did not believe he would go to Osil.
} kosh. He was acting like man
who reasoned that il he could hide
himself away in the country for few
weeks his crime ana his identity would
. both be forgotten. To catch the EN-
bezzler without capturing his swae
would have been no credit to me. He
,, had several days the start OF me, and
! had by this time got a job of somt
sort. / procured a rough suit o
Z clothes, hired horse and set off or
his trail. He headed toward Oshkosh
: for five or six miles, and then turned
e directly north. 1t was in the fall o
4 the year and thu roads were in baf
condition, but he made TWEEN
S ty-four miles that first day
not stopping at all for dinner. HI
went to the notheast for six miles
and then he turned due west, almos
! on line with La Crosse, and wen
eight miles before stopping at an Inn
y ] only made the same number finite;
= on horseback, but as he had to lie b,
II the next forenoon on account or TIN
: rain, while ! had good weather, / gain
e ed half day on him. He proceeded
toward La Crosse for ten miles more
10 and then went north two miles. ant
e stayed over night with farmer AM
o talked about going to work in a saw
IS mill. Next day he headed due west
u and reached the Wisconsin river at
/. hamlet called Little Bend. 1t was o.
y the sixth day after he left Milwaukee
y that ! located him, and he had thel
= been ut work in a saw-mill for a da
r, and d half. | entered the hamlet o
q foot, as he had done, having feI
ID clothes in bundle, and it was 500
T. known to the seventy five or eight
'e population, that | was in search {
% work. The owner OF the only store i
Oh the place also kept a saloon and
tavern. and, under pretence OF bein
D; foot-sore and used up, | remained id
Il for two or three days, although til
N mill owner was short OF hands an
desired me to go to work at once.
~ 1t may be thought strange that
did not at once arrest Lane and hay
- done with it. Had | overhauled hil
- EN- route that would have been ii
plan, for the money would have bee
- in his valise He had taken board 6
=. the tavern, and during my first ha
~ dav there had found his room ope
u and his valise unlocked. There W;
=. nothing in it which anyone Won
.;s want to take away. He had, like
10 sharp man, taken his money out az
- planted it. He could not Justly su
-, pect that | was after him, for aft
y three or four days I went to VOL
~ alongside Of him and held him at
II distance. He tried hard TO get o
- ouainted with me, but | was tacitul
no and unsocial. He gave me an oppo
nc tunity to ask him questions, but r
~ fused to profit by it. l admitted, +
~ a purpose, that | left Milwaukee TO
-. or five days behind him, and ait
~ seeming to reflect for Q while, ne as
"a ed:
ou WAS there any special news win
ks you left?"
We Il don't remember"
mo murders or rohberies."
ri "There was "A mystery OF some so
III | believe. Somebody drew a lot
,is money out OF the bank, fell into
a hands ofsharpers, and they were ioc
nd ing in the river and lake for his de